Medical Comforts
In 1943, the British forces saw a great influx of US Forces. There were many ways they liaisoned with them.
The US's great Air Force Base, which they called 'Accra City G.C.' contained more white personnel than the whole RWAFF (Royal West African Frontier Force) and Edgar Whitehead imagined their pay check exceeded that of all the British Forces.
Edgar became friendly with his opposite number in the US Army, Colonel Charles Smith. Edgar's General was anxious to obtain six jeeps for training purposes because they would be issued to WA troops in Burma.
Edgar asked Colonel Smith, "Do you think the US Army could spare us a few jeeps?"
Smith replied, "Only my Commanding General can give authority. We are short ourselves. Your timing is bad, too. We're due for a visit by two particularly anti-British Congressman, looking for trouble, especially on the subject of misuse of US aid to the British. But can you have a case of whisky from NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) to help entertain them as the PX is dry?"
Edgar offered to trade the whisky against the jeeps and they arranged that Edgar's new Brigadier should dine with the US General to sample the quality of NAAFI Scotch. Colonel Smith would try and see the deal through.
Edgar told his Brigadier the plan and off he went, to secure the jeeps. The next morning at 0700 Edgar went to hear the result.
"Whitehead, here is the order to collect the jeeps, get them at once before the US General comes round; he finally gave in at two this morning. I am now going to bed and you will take over my chair for the rest of the day."
Colonel Smith and Edgar completed the formalities signing the documents to transfer the six jeeps on Lend Lease with one case of 'Medical Comforts' as Reciprocal Aid.
A few days later Colonel Smith brought the two Congressmen to Edgar's office. They asked, "Why are British Army trucks transporting civilian farm products to Takoradi?"
Edgar said, "It benefits the Allied War Effort by supplying fats to the UK."
"Are these Lend Lease trucks?"
"No, they're all British built but three hundred have been supplied to the US Forces in Dakar as Reciprocal Aid when the ship carrying their own was torpedoed."
"Why are the British continuing to recruit large numbers of African troops when the war in Africa is over?"
With great satisfaction, Edgar said, "They are all destined for operations against the Japanese and some are already fighting in Burma."
It was like old times to meet with politicians and give political answers instead of dealing with soldiers and telling the truth.
The historical novel Whitewashed Jacarandas and its sequel Full of Possibilities are both available on Amazon as paperbacks and eBooks.
These books are inspired by Diana's family's experiences in small town Southern Rhodesia after WWII.
Dr. Sunny Rubenstein and his Gentile wife, Mavourneen, along with various town characters lay bare the racial arrogance of the times, paternalistic idealism, Zionist fervor and anti-Semitism, the proper place of a wife, modernization versus hard-won ways of doing things, and treatment of endemic disease versus investment in public health. It's a roller coaster read.
References:
- Sir Edgar Whitehead's Unpublished Memoirs, Rhodes House, Bodleian Library, Oxford University, by permission.
- Photo credit: Auto Influence. https://www.autoinfluence.com/jeep-history-jeeps-made-used-wwii/